Sunday, February 1, 2009

Tu B'Shvat, the New Year for Trees, falls on the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shvat, February 9 this year (5769 / 2009). This Jewish mini-holiday is of major importance to our appreciation of Nature and our relationship to it.

Jewish Trivia Quiz: Tu B'ShvatWhich fruit is used to make wine ?When did Kabbalists originate the Tu B'shvat Seder ?How many glasses of wine are drunk at the Tu B'Shvat seder ?What branch of a tree did the dove bring back after the flood ?How many days does the Hebrew month of Shvat have ?What is associated with both Chanukah and Tu B'Shvat ?In Israel, what happens to trees starting on the 15th of Shvat ?Since 1901, how many trees has the Jewish National Fundplanted in Israel ?According to the Torah, which fruits did the spies bring to thechildren of Israel in the wilderness ?

The above questions are examples from the multiple choice Flash quiz. There are two levels of questions, two timer settings. Both kids and adults will find it enjoyable.

Tu B'Shvat ClipartWhether you need a picture for your child's class project, a graphic for your synagogue, Hillel or JCC Tu B'Shvat announcement, the Jewish Clipart Database has the pictures for you. You can copy, save and print the graphics in three different sizes.

Multilingual Word Search Game: Tu B'ShvatEnter the Multilingual Word Search game and choose the language you would like to play in: English, Hebrew or Russian. There is an easy mode for the kids and a harder mode for us big kids. Each game is randomly generated. You can even print out a blank game (and the solution page) for offline playing.

Hebrew Hangman - Tu B'ShvatIt's the classic Hangman game recreated in an online Flash version. If you expect your simple "hang the man by the rope" drawing then you are in for a surprise.

My Hebrew Song Book - Tu B'Shvat Hebrew songs (with vowels) for viewing and printing. All songs are in graphic format so you do not need Hebrew installed to view or print them.

The J site has something for everyone, but if that is not enough, I posted on my website 50 links about Tu B'Shvat, from history and customs to graphics and recipes. Site languages include English, Hebrew, Russian, Spanish, French, Portuguese and German.All 50 links have been reviewed / checked this week.